Follow the Stars
by Kallice
Summary: What's to happen when one is abruptly thrown into a spectre's afterlife? Another thing Scorpion doesn't know is the intentions behind this. *No Pairing*
1. Black

**A/N: Warnings: **

**- If you are dying on the edge of your seat for a hot Scorpion/OC pairing, leave now**

**- Yes, that _stupid_ OC you see everywhere, hehe...**

* * *

_Edit: Being the annoying perfectionist I am, I often go back and read through my work and edit minor details I see. Meaning, some content you remember reading before may have been altered, though the changes shouldn't be too drastic._

_With that being said, I hope you enjoy =)_

* * *

**Chapter One: Black**

A scream escaped an incoherent mouth, bouncing off the walls in the dark room. A figure snapped up from their bed, the covers falling back to reveal the torso of a woman. Her eyes darted around, recognizing her room in the shadows. She heaved a breath of relief, falling back on her pillow.

_'It was just a dream….'_

A dream of her family members' corpses appearing and disappearing, each showing signs of brutal murder. The background was a dimly litted room, occupied by Raina and another man, a stranger, laughing at her sobs. She begged him to stop showing her everything, but he would only laugh more…

For a long moment Raina lay there, letting her heart rate slow down, her breathing become smooth. The young woman sat up and pushed the covers off her while sliding out of bed. Even though a layer of sweat plastered her forehead, she shivered as the air from her apartment drafted around her.

The blonde splashed her face with cold water, then warm in the bathroom. Wiping her face on a towel, she stepped out and reentered her bedroom, not before locking the door. She went and opened the curtains of her window to display a cityscape of skyscrapers and traffic-jammed streets.

Her alarm clock read 4:21 AM, but Raina got a book from her nightstand once she was settled back under the covers. While she turned to retrieve it, she caught eye of a portrait containing two women and a man. Seeing the picture caused memories to arise and Raina to sigh. It also made her feel like a child again, God knows why. She slammed the picture face down. A sudden decision to go back to sleep came across Raina. She turned back around.

Only to see a dark figure glaring down at her.

Another scream occurred in the hour as Raina scrambled out of bed. Because of the covers that'd twisted around her legs, she met the floor with a force that rattled the bones in her arms. In spite of her position, Raina snapped her head around to see…shadows. No one. Nothing.

Butterflies flooded her stomach and Raina whimpered. For what felt like an hour she lay there, wrapped up in the sheets, gazing at the spot where she could've sworn she'd seen the ninja standing. A siren wailed in the distance. But there was no one there. Raina pushed herself off the floor, unwrapping the covers from her. She swallowed, putting a hand to her forehead. "God, you're losing it, Raina. Losing it..."

Her eyes felt heavy and sore, a headache was coming on, and her joints seemed to be in pain when they moved. Sighing, Raina threw the covers back on her bed and climbed under the sheets, squeezing her eyes shut. But behind her lids, she still saw the towering figure half bathed in the outside street lamp, clothed in all black with white eyes that seemed ablaze...

Oblivious to Raina as she drifted to sleep, those white eyes were watching her from outside her window at the very moment.


	2. Heat

**Chapter Two: Heat**

It was only eight-thirty, but she peeled the covers off her. Her crusty lids started to close, and Raina regretted it as soon as her foot made contact with something. Her weight after sliding out of bed caused the object to crack. Cursing when she felt a sharp point wedge into her skin, Raina lifted her foot and saw the portrait of her family, which now had a fracture in the thin glass protection. Sighing, she examined her right foot and saw a small piece of glass sticking to her heel. Throwing the useless glass away, she picked up the portrait and set it back on the nightstand.

When stretching, the question formed: how had the picture fell in the first place? Raina blinked and lowered her arms. As insignificant as the object was, if it fell Raina would've set it back in it's right spot to prevent stepping on it, though she ended up doing the latter. Which obviously meant she hadn't noticed the disorder beforehand. Of course, now she was over-analyzing things...but why did she have such a nagging feeling-

She gasped. Raina looked to the foot of her bed. Even though no one was there, she approached steadily. Kneeling down, she reached out and felt the carpet. Still soft, no stains... Common sense then made its way through to Raina and her outstretched hand balled into a fist. Of course there would be nothing there since _no one_ had ever been there in the first place!

"You _idiot._" She glared at the carpet as if it were at fault and stood back up. After steaming out her stress with a long shower, Raina made her way to the kitchen and grabbed the orange juice from the fridge. She checked the microwave's clock and almost spit out her OJ. Nine-twenty!

"Dammit!" She dumped the rest of her juice in the sink and ran for her keys and coat. Her coat was just shrugged onto her shoulders when she was out in the chilly atmosphere. In a fast paced trek, she made her way across the slushy street and waved a taxi.

From two different eyes, the girl entered the vehicle and sped away in it, eventually turning from the street. She still suspected, he thought. Otherwise she would not have looked so troubled. The figure stood at its full height and jumped to the roof of the next building, heading in the direction of the cab.

* * *

The waitress set down her cup of frothy cappuccino and walked away to evade the gusts of wind. Raina shivered and wrapped her coat around herself. Even under the awning, against the wall of the café, she couldn't mask out the wintry weather.

Fifteen minutes…and she was still waiting. Perhaps she wasn't so late after all. Raina glanced around, but only saw the faces of strangers. Today the cafe was busier than usual; a large line of shivering people framed the gate, inside bustling with customers and steam...

...she figured the picture fell last night when she had thought a ninja man was in her room. Being so freaked, she didn't notice and went back to bed, explaining how she stepped on it this morning. But it all lead back to the same thing: _had _she been hallucinating?

Raina bit her lip. She could still see how his shoulders rose up and down from his silent breathing. The way his shadow cast across her carpet, and the intensity of his glare and the bulging of his muscles. All too real to be…an illusion.

_'Stop it, he _was_ an illusion'_, Raina thought when goose bumps rose. _'You were half-awake when it happened. And why am I calling it 'he'? Not even 'he'…more like 'it'. But then again, ninjas can be women too…'_

The blonde realized what she was thinking and let a laugh escape her; a nervous laugh. Maybe she really was crazy, perhaps all the taunting back in the days were true-

Raina then noticed someone standing over her. She looked up – expecting the waitress – but instead saw a man, though he was staring ahead. "Can I help you, sir?" Raina said. When he didn't move or give an answer, she repeated the question louder. Getting the same results, she pushed away her cappuccino and gave him an icy stare. Another chill darted through her. His body started to sway back and forth. Raina gave him another eyeing. And then she started back out of her chair.

Raina screamed when he fell. The table toppled over and crashed to the ground, her drink smashing with it, burning through her coat and to her skin. She jumped back, eyes glued on the corpse and the people near started out of their chairs, gasping and crying out when they saw.

You could only tell from the back that the man was dead. The small knife embedded in his back had leaked out a crusty trail of blood, along with the deep gash in his neck. Blood started to run from his mouth, from what showed of his face.

Head spinning, Raina backtracked from the sight, weaving around the clumps of people moving in. She realized her whole body was shaking wildly which caused her legs to give away when stepping on ice. She hit the ground head-first and the snow started to consume her body heat. Even in that position, Raina continued to gape at the body. She was so preoccupied she – and others - never saw the projectile streak through the street.

The ear-splitting smash broke away Raina's eye-contact. Before she could decipher the sound, a rain of glass showered on her. New screams arose inside. A dazed Raina shook off the fragments of glass and opened her eyes to a roaring fire dominating the interior of the café. The awning had fallen – half of it covering her legs – and the window was gone. The sound of wood snapping, glass popping, and china crunching joined the chaos. The flames started to lick at the snow, but by that time she was up and running.

More people crowded around the café and Raina had to literally jump over them to escape. She shook herself clean of remaining glass while halfway down the street, not caring when people stared. Raina wasn't sure where she was going since everything was a blur – either by her running speed or the wetness of her eyes – but she just wanted to forget everything.

She wasn't running long when something whistled past her. Ahead, the sharp edge of a shuriken embedded itself into a building. She pushed her legs to move faster and turned from the street, not daring to look behind. Another screech of a shuriken; this time it grazed her ear. Raina cried out when a lock of hair fell off. She rammed her way past a group of people exiting a store. Screaming started, but a sickening crunch ceased the outbursts. Another shuriken went for Raina while she started to veer, but at the last moment she changed her course when the weapon buzzed in her path.

Tears leaked down her face, but dried at her running speed. Half gasping, half sobbing she tried to ignore her burning legs, the tightening of her chest. She anticipated the next shuriken to strike her, but it never came. In fact, as soon as she had changed her running course, she vaguely felt as if something had gone through her. Before her subconscious thoughts could think more, Raina felt a force whisk her forward.

* * *

At the roof of a building across the café, a lone figure stood. He was a pale man, only obtaining clothing on his lower body. He merely glanced over the building that was afire and looked back to the girl. She was running towards the correct spot…

The portal whisked her away and she was gone from the sight. A second figure teleported next to him.

"You are sure that is the girl?" a voice spoke as smoke cleared; Noob Saibot emerged.

Quan Chi looked at his accomplice as if he had been there the whole time. "Of course. I can see she is the correct one."

Sirens started to rise over the screams.

"Shao Kahn is waiting for us. It would be best to leave for the Emperor's sake," Quan Chi said. A swirling portal formed and he stepped through it. The black assassin followed behind.

* * *

Raina hit the ground once…twice. With each contact, stabbing, sweltering pain seared though her. But the _heat_…the heat was so unbelievable she forgot about her pain. Her exposed skin prickled like a thousand needles were puncturing it, her head was flaming hot. Screwing eyes shut, Raina found herself in a black hell. Thrashing and crying, she ripped off her layers of clothing until she was only wearing pants and a tank top; even that it was too hot. Rolling on the ground, Raina gritted her teeth as gallons of tears stripped down her face. Each tear left a trail of fire.

_'Wh-what..._is_...this...? M-make it...stop...'_

The woman tried to get her mind off the heat, to think of anything, _anything_ else, but it was impossible. Each gasp of polluted air scratched her throat, her dry mouth tasting the gaseous odors. Gritty dust flew in her nostrils, boiling hot as everything else was.

A queasy feeling erupted inside her stomach when she was lifted by the throat. Raina's breathing hitched and heat only seemed to rise, but her eyes remained squeezed shut. A short and scorching breeze blew past her and Raina struck the hard ground, finding herself in the middle of the most agonizing torture she'd ever received.

_'St-stop it! Make it stop...make it end...please...st-stop it...'_

The woman found herself trying to scream, but the blood rushing through her head gave weight and drowned her words. Her fists pounded against the ground, a hoarse gasp managed to escape her, but it was only caused when a weight slammed down on her chest. She felt blood stream down her chin, nausea churning her organs.

She pried her eyes open and saw two white slits glaring down on her.

Though her eyes down poured from the contaminated air, she did not care, she could not feel. All Raina saw were the solid pale eyes. She stopped moving all together as the eyes flashed…

"Pl...pl-please," Raina begged. "…kill me."


	3. Portal

**A/N: It ****is important to remember this story takes place _after_ MK: 4/Gold, but _before_ Deadly ****Alliance (so yes, Original Timeline).**

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**Chapter Three: Portal**

"You're late." The Emperor of Outworld opened his eyes as Quan Chi stepped from a portal with Noob Saibot following suit.

Quan Chi ambled to the centre of the Throne Room. "We have successfully tracked the girl and she is now in the company of Scorpion."

"And what exact purpose does the girl serve in the plan?" Shao Kahn said. "You strayed from that subject the last time we spoke."

The necromancer smirked. "To put it simply, the girl will distract Scorpion long enough for us to destroy him. And like I have said before, that distraction has nothing to do with romantic feelings towards the brat."

Kahn stroked his chin. "Even so, Scorpion is a spectre; he would just be reborn in the Neatherrealm so killing him-

"Killing him would trap him once more in Neatherrealm while I roam freely across the realms while he must retrain his new body his Kombat skills and search the fiery pits of Hell for an escape portal, which could take many years to find," Quan Chi said. "But he is still currently in the Neatherrealm so we would have to wait-

"Still in the Neatherrealm? And you portaled the girl _there_ with him?" Shao Kahn's voice echoed through the room. "I thought…Saibot was hired to portal _Scorpion_ into the same dimension as the _girl_!"

"We had a change of plans. Capturing the brat was easier and quicker than ambushing Scorpion."

Shao Kahn clenched his fists as he inhaled thinly. "You are a fool Quan Chi! One cannot enter Neatherrealm without an evil soul!"

To Kahn's rage, a smug look flashed across Quan Chi's face. "Even a mortal human from another dimension has a tainted soul. All are born contaminated Kahn, and that one sliver of selfishness can be the key to entering the Neatherrealm."

"How can you be sure?" Shao Kahn stood from his throne. "The girl may die too early."

"The Elder Gods will notice an unbalance in the realms and react. They are probably noticing the change now."

Shao Kahn took a step towards the necromancer. "If she ends up dying, our plans will be demolished and I will have your head."

Quan Chi smiled. "There is always a resurrection chamber."

The Emperor growled. "How then, necromancer, are you going to get them _both_ out of the realm?"

"Like I said, the gods will do that part. Be patient Kahn. Wait a few hours." With that, Quan Chi turned and went for a portal he'd conjured.

"Quan Chi!" But he was gone.

The Emperor's heavy breathing and the portal's sucking sounds from the corner filled the room. Noob Saibot, who hadn't moved since the start of the conversation, then made his way towards the dying vortex.

"You!"

Noob turned and saw the Emperor walking towards him with a pointing finger.

"Come here. I have a task for you…"

* * *

Scorpion had been training on the Neatherrealm Cliffs when the group of demons surrounded him. Quan Chi's men… He easily cut them down, tossing their corpses in the lava pits. *****He sheathed his sword while glancing around the blood-caked ground and saw a last demon lying a distance away. Scorpion growled and took his time to reach the thing – the more painful of a death, the better.

He lifted the demon off the ground and felt a pulse buzzing through its neck. The Shirai Ryu threw it back to the ground and pounded his foot on the she-demon's chest, satisfied when it spurted blood. The spectre reached for his sword. Just as he unsheathed it, the she-demon opened its eyes.

Scorpion felt his sword hand go numb. His eyes widened as the watering eyes stared up at him. The woman gasped something, but he couldn't understand. Either it was because of her inability to form words or he was too distracted by the eyes. Eyes that he'd only seen one place else…

_'No...'_

He couldn't rip his eyes away from hers. It was only when hers closed he snapped out of it. Scorpion took an automatic step back and saw the clothes littered around the female. Odd-looking clothes… She couldn't be a demon then…

He gripped his sword with so much force his arm was shaking. Scorpion re-sheathed his weapon and whipped around to walk away.

Only he_ couldn't_. Someone was blocking his path. "Raiden."

The Thunder God looked past Scorpion. "She is still alive. But there is not much time left unless we evacuate her from this realm."

The "we" made Scorpion completely jerk out of his daze. "What do you mean _we_?"

His eyes trailed to Scorpion. "This girl is from a completely different dimension. Not Earthrealm, not Outworld, none of the six realms. The Elder Gods sent me down to retrieve this girl before destruction takes place."

"Why can't…you just kill her to make things easier?" Scorpion said, restraining from looking at the body.

Raiden's eyes narrowed. "Where would her soul go? Where would it not go?"

A strangled pant sounded from behind. Raiden moved before Scorpion could react. "The girl will die if she remains here. I am giving you permission to enter Earthrealm."

Scorpion had started to walk away, but stopped dead in his tracks. He spun around to face the god. "You cannot just grant orders to me whenever you wish, Thunder God!"

"On the contrary, I have full authority to do so. You are to watch over the girl while I search for the portal that will return her to her realm." Raiden picked the unconscious female off the ground.

"What if I say no?" Scorpion hissed.

"Then your life will be worse than it already is." As he spoke, a blue portal spiraled into life. Raiden handed Scorpion the woman. He caught her out of reflexes. "Take her to the nearest medic." And he was gone.

Scorpion stood motionless with the woman in his arms. He could feel the blisters in her skin bubbling onto his uniform. Her head lolled onto his chest and he wanted to shove it away. The face looked too much like hers. His past wife.

* * *

*** Even though Scorpion didn't have swords in MK 4/Gold, he did in Deadly Alliance. Since this story takes place between the two games, I'd say Scorpion's outfit is a morph of his two primary costumes. I assume he collected or found a better uniform during the time he was in Neatherrealm.**


	4. Similar

**Chapter Four: Similar**

He refused to look down. Scorpion instead focused on the trees ahead and denied a body was in his arms. He ignored the temptation to drop the woman— the body and walk away.

The sun was shining, the sky too blue, and the path was a simple dirt trail. Definitely Earthrealm. Scorpion started up a hill and soon enough saw huts' rooftops. Foreign yells, clucking chickens, and the hustle and bustle in general drifted up. His mood darkened when knowing he would need to speak to the people in order to get this female help.

By the time he was halfway down the hill, the village was in full view. A crowded street filled with bread sellers and fruit givers; smoke, spices, and animal dung filled Scorpion's senses. The heat from all the commotion wafted around him even though he was still twenty feet from the market street. Of course, Raiden had to pick a crowded village.

Heads turned, eyes bore into his back once he passed them, and some downright stopped and gawked. An aged couple scurried off when he met their eyes but the rest of the street remained staring; one man didn't even notice the grains in the basket he held was pouring to the ground. It was when a woman gasped and put her hands over her mouth Scorpion understood. The people weren't looking at him but the wo— the body.

The Shirai Ryu sneaked a glance. Her skin looked like an infective rash consumed it. Purple bruises accompanied the patches of vivid red, dark blood dripped through cuts along her arms. Scorpion then noticed the street had settled to whispers and murmurs. Eyes flickered back and forth, first to the body, then him. Coincidentally, the woman stirred in his arms and a long, dry moan escaped her.

Scorpion looked to the person closest to him and approached while asking for directions. The man had a heavy accent, but the spectre managed to shoulder his way past a gathering crowd and navigate the building he had described.

News must've already traveled, for the second Scorpion entered the infirmary five people swarmed around him. Hands brushed against him and foreign muttering filled his ears, making Scorpion step back. A weight change in his arms made him look back at the group, only to see one of them carrying the girl to a bed. For what reason, Scorpion stood there and watched as the medics brought in materials while one woman started stripping the girl's clothes.

He immediately turned and went out the door. This time, only half the amount of eyes stared but returned to their normal business. For moments, Scorpion glanced around and was about to step into the street when one of the nurses called "sir". Reluctantly, he turned and saw her gesturing him to come back inside. He remained there for a minute, hardly noticing the way she flinched when he looked at her. Unclenching his fists, he made his way through the door she'd held open for him.

The room was clear of medics and the woman was concealed in blankets. The nurse gestured towards a row of chairs set up against the wall opposite of the beds. Scorpion chose the one furthest from the girl, which happened to be the chair nearest to the door. The nurse – to his irritation - followed while checking off the brat's symptoms. Because Scorpion really didn't care, he tuned the woman out. Finally, she walked into a separate room, leaving Scorpion alone with the unconscious female and a frazzled man, whom Scorpion noticed half an hour later.

His eyes twitched, but Scorpion strained them to remain fixed on the floor. He could go back outside, though the forest was a far walk from here, and he didn't want another dozen eyes gawking at him while he would shove his way through a crowd. From the corner of his eye, the woman stirred.

It actually made it worse, sitting from afar. It made their resemblance look all the more the same. Scorpion's eyes twitched once more and he found himself looking at the woman's face. Memories of his wife flashed before his mind, but Scorpion quickly distracted himself by looking at the hair. It was a lighter shade – nothing like his wife's - but the face and the eyes-

He stopped and growled. His wife was dead, _she_ was nothing more than an ignorant brat he was being forced to baby-sit by a Thunder God. Scorpion pushed himself off his chair and stormed out into the sun. The volume of the crowd exploded around him. Everything was a blur, but his legs kept moving around clumps of villagers until he saw the hill and tree line. When Scorpion reached the peak of the hill, a bolt of lightning struck his path.

"Scorpion, you were assigned to watch over the girl. Breaks are not allowed," Raiden said.

The yellow clad ninja took a step forward. "Step aside, Raiden."

"You must calm yourself, Scorpion. I realize the memories of this girl and your wife-

"My wife is dead. My family is dead. _She_ is only a girl!" he spat. Scorpion took another step, only to cause the god's eyes to spark.

"But you must continue your task. It is extremely risky, leaving a human from a different dimension unguarded, whether you leave for a minute or an hour."

"She is in the medics' hands, leaving me time for seclusion." Scorpion started to walk around Raiden, but the god grabbed his shoulder.

"I doubt it was a coincidence the girl was dropped in the Neatherrealm, let alone near you or that she resembles your past wife."

The spectre stopped. He shook off Raiden's hand and stepped back. "Quan Chi-

"Most likely. Shang Tsung is another possibility, but our first assumption seems more probable," Raiden said.

Though Scorpion didn't like the "our", he nodded. "Do you think he is here?"

"I believe he has escaped the Neatherrealm and is somewhere around Earthrealm, but not near here," he replied. "This village is highly populated so it slims the chances of anyone finding you or the girl."

"How long will I have to remain watching her?" Scorpion demanded. "I will gladly exit this task and search for Quan Chi myself."

"He is untraceable as of now, and until I find the portal of the dimension you are to remain her guardian," Raiden tersely said . "And I expect you to protect her well, even if she arises memories of yours."

Scorpion clenched and unclenched his fists. "If I am allowed to handle Quan Chi in the end, then I will guard the brat with purpose."

Raiden paused, staring long into Scorpion's eyes. "Only if." The sparks in the god's eyes died down and he crossed his arms. "I will return when the girl awakes. In the meantime, I shall watch you when possible."

In a flash, he was alone. Scorpion was still for a few seconds, and then stepped forward once more. Raiden's words echoed loudly in his mind: _"I shall watch you when possible'_. Sighing, Scorpion turned and went back down the hill.

* * *

Day and night he sat unmoving in the chair by the door. The nurses continuously offered him food or water; one even tried striking up a conversation. After the third night – though it took many death glares and even a growl – they finally accepted that Scorpion just didn't sleep, eat or talk.

He avoided looking at the female as much as possible. The only time he would glance was when the nurses would treat her with medicines unknown to him. Half of the time, Scorpion had his eyes closed from meditation, not caring who saw as long as they didn't approach. Luckily, the hospital didn't get many visitors, leaving Scorpion in a somewhat bearable silence. After four days, Scorpion had to repeatedly remind himself he was being watched by a god (and possibly the Elder Gods) to make himself remain inside the hospital. But an evening later, Scorpion seized the opportunity to sit outside when hearing the rare silence from the village.

Few were out, most packing up their market supplies, but to Scorpion's bliss he could hear the crickets. He sat cross-legged next to the infirmary's door, the light from the crescent moon soaking his uniform. He breathed in and out, eyes closed.

But his thoughts roamed.

Quan Chi could be anywhere… How would Raiden know if he was or wasn't near the area? But when Scorpion found him…

He unclenched his teeth as he distantly heard the last villager walk away. What was the sorcerer planning? Dropping a brat into Hell and having a god assign Scorpion to become the babysitter wasn't vengeance for his torment on Quan Chi. There was a larger reason behind this…

The woman. Thinking back, Scorpion almost scoffed at how idiotic he had been acting over this. She would not - could not - affect him or this "task" he had been forced into. After all the glimpses over the days, he realized she wasn't an exact replica of his wife. She was only…similar. But – Scorpion opened an eye - it was enough to raise unwanted memories in the spectre.

* * *

As soon as the first hen clucked, shouts echoed through the street, footsteps crunched against the hard dirt, and the mix of all the other villagers followed. Scorpion opened his eyes to squint at the sun. He rose to his feet and yanked the infirmiry door open. The quiet was nice while it lasted.

His footsteps thumped on the floorboards and Scorpion saw the chair ready for him. Out of the corner of his eye, something looked off. And it was too quiet, now that he realized. Scorpion stopped in his tracks. He looked over at the bed and saw that there were no nurses treating the brat. Scorpion looked up at the woman, only to see her eyes flutter open.

* * *

**A/N: Thank-you to all who are reading/reviewing or have read/reviewed! **


	5. Questions

**A/N: I dedicate this chapter to **_**EmboldenRose**_**. I'****m glad we're fellow authors and keep up your great work on your Ermac story, **_Mystic of Wisdom_**! Which if anyone has not read should check out.**

**You may also want to read ****_SweetSacrifice123's _**_Alone Forever_**, an interesting idea involving our favorite spectre Scorpion :)**

* * *

**Chapter Five: Questions **

For a moment, the room was very quiet. Before Scorpion could move, the girl's gaze sharpened on him. Before Scorpion could blink, she choked out a scream. She jerked back and pinned herself against the bed bars, pressing the covers against her heaving chest. Her eyes never left his; they remained wide, crazed, and hauntingly familiar.

"Y-you…bedroom…eyes..." she gasped.

Scorpion scowled in realization. She was delirious. White flashed by his eyes and the nurses were surrounding the bed, muttering in the village's dialect. Scorpion turned to leave, only to see Raiden standing in the doorway. The moment the god closed the door, Scorpion heard behind him the nurses halt and hush. The female's hyperventilating continued.

While he walked, Raiden spoke in the village's tongue. From the corner of his eye, Scorpion saw one nurse nod as the rest began to clear into the separate room. The only sound was the girl's wheezes and Raiden's footsteps as he approached the bed. Her eyes flashed back and forth between the god and Scorpion. "St-stay _away_!" she shrieked.

Raiden passed Scorpion and stopped a foot before the bed. He raised a hand - which she flinched at – and said, "I will not harm you. Nor shall Scorpion."

She glued her eyes to him again and Scorpion found himself glaring at both her and Raiden. The god's voice brought back her attention.

"My name is Lord Raiden. I am the protector of Earthrealm, which is the realm you are currently in. You were rescued by Scorpion and myself in the Neatherrealm and was transported to Earthrealm to heal—

"_Heal_? E-Earthrealm? What the hell are you talking about? ! _Where am I? !_" Her voice became shrill enough where it pierced Scorpion's ears.

Raiden, undeterred, knelt to the bed's level. The girl attempted to escape, but the god snatched her wrist. As she thrashed and pulled, a buzzing-like noise sounded. Raiden raised his free hand and Scorpion saw sparks of electricity glowing from it. Before the spectre could mentally question further, the blue sparks latched themselves onto the girl, who then went rigid. Currents of electricity slithered throughout the girl's body and glazed over her flesh. Her body started twitching and she squeezed her eyes shut as static obscured her form. Then, the light died away and the room became quiet again.

Scorpion immediately noticed the remaining bruises and blisters on the woman's face were absent. As were the cuts on her arms and the peeled pieces of dead skin. She opened her eyes, and not a second later, she was stroking her fully healed face and prodding her arms. She almost pushed away the covers – Scorpion tensed in alarm – when she seemed to remember her surroundings. Flushing scarlet, she gripped the covers and met eyes with Raiden.

"How...did you do that?" Her breathing had settled, but her eyes stayed alert.

Raiden stood. "I am also a Thunder God."

She gaped at him for a moment. And suddenly, as if she remembered his presence, the woman locked eyes with Scorpion. Since he was caught off guard by the abrupt eye-contact, Scorpion watched the color drain from her face.

"He...tried to kill me!" Her eyes burned into his. Scorpion couldn't tell if they burned with fear or rage.

"Scorpion is your guardian," Raiden said, and the young woman snapped her head to look back at him.

"No…" she said."I saw eyes just like his. _Twice_. First in my room, and then—

The blood she managed to recover fled her face as her eyes trailed away from the both of them.

"What do you recall from the last period you were conscious?" Raiden slowly asked.

The girl's mouth moved, but no words came out. On her third effort, Scorpion's ears picked up her whisper:

"Pain. Burning…like I've never f-felt before. I…I wanted to die." Her voice cracked and her next words became so quiet, Scorpion relied on lip-reading to understand. "Before that I...can't remember. But I think I was…running…"

"Who were running from?" Raiden asked.

Tears slid down her cheeks. "I don't know," she whispered. "I never saw him, her, whoever the hell it was. I tried escaping, but then I felt the heat."

"The time you encountered the heat was when you entered the Neatherrealm," Raiden said.

"What is Neatherrealm? Hell?" She shivered.

"It is a prison for those whose souls are corrupted with evil," Raiden explained. "But it is only meant for the beings of the six known realms, which the dimension you come from is not among those six. Had we not rescued you, you would have died."

For several moments, the young woman was silent. Scorpion kept his eyes trained on Raiden, though he could still see her from the corner of his vision.

"Why?" she finally said. "Why was I even taken to that…place? Who would try to kill me?"

Raiden shook his head. "I do not yet know. I was hoping to gain evidence from what you remembered to help solve the identity of your harasser."

A pause from the girl.

"I don't know if it's real, but..."

At those words, aggravation spiked up Scorpion's spine. He did not need more stalling time to stand there while he could be searching for Quan Chi—

"He – a...ninja – was in my room. And he had the same eyes as…him."

This time, Scorpion glared at the woman - who then cringed - for thinking something as preposterous of _him_ being—

"And h-he was dressed in all black," she said hastily.

At the last word, Scorpion and Raiden exchanged a glance. They looked back to the brat.

"That's all I can remember," she stuttered.

Raiden nodded. "Thank-you. That memory of yours may have helped us come closer to solving this mystery."

"But, I still don't understand," she said. "Earlier I think you mentioned something about six…realms? And my, um, place where I come from isn't part of those six places? But you said 'Earthrealm', so wouldn't that mean I'm on Earth?"

Raiden shook his head. "No. Though your universe and Earthrealm are parallel worlds, I can sense your soul is out of place among the Earthrealm souls. Each demension has a distinct feel or sense of essance. And your essance has an off feel from the six realms. Your dimension you come from is in fact a newly discovered one."

"...What do you mean 'newly discovered'? Can't you take me back?"

The room became drenched with silence. Scorpion, who had been listening to the conversation involuntarily, now waited for Raiden to speak. He observed as Raiden stared only at the brat with a look similar to guilt.

"It is not that simple," Raiden admitted after a long minute. "Since your universe is so unknown, so unfamiliar, finding the correct portal to return you to your home world could take a long period of time."

"How long?" she voiced Scorpion's thoughts.

The god sighed. "Years at the most—

"Years… But… I can't… Isn't there a-another way a…shortcut… _Anything_?"

A tremor shook through Scorpion as he blocked anything and everything around him. With the exception of Raiden. Inferno blazed down Scorpion's arms, Hellfire sparked his senses. _Years?_ Years to dawdle, babysitting a brat who he despised just as much as he did Raiden for what purpose? To put up with the god's incessant orders and to be watched by the Elder Gods while Quan Chi freely wandered outside of Neatherrealm? And he, the spectre, to remain trapped with another life to guard? The only thing that kept Scorpion from dismembering Raiden right then and there was the fact that he had yet to answer the brat's question.

"Unfortunately not," Raiden said. The flames consumed Scorpion's forearms. "There are billions of portals, leading to anywhere in all of the six realms. And another billion for the undiscovered realms. It is astonishing that such a rare portal to your realm was even found."

"Quan Chi had found it," Scorpion suddenly hissed. "He is a sorcerer…and you are a _god_!"

Raiden stared at Scorpion while the brat fastened her eyes on the flames, at the verge of screaming. Scorpion raised a fist at the god and said in a voice that felt calm compared to his state, "I demand to know _everything_ you have been keeping from me."

The fire in Scorpion's fists crackled and spit; embers drifted to the floor, glowing red-hot. Raiden's eyes fell to where the ashes were gathering and said, "The portal is still possible to find. Though the task of searching is intricate - finding the correct time era, searching for the realm the portal was first conjured in – with the evidence added up, the amount of time to find the dimension decreases."

Raiden looked back at the girl. "I have been trying to locate your dimension's portal for the past week, though I cannot say how close or how far I am to discovering it. But with time, you will surely be returned to your realm."

Her eyes stayed fixed on Scorpion's burning hands. "I…I—

"Your remaining questions shall be answered tomorrow," Raiden said. "Tomorrow morning, you and Scorpion will depart from the infirmary. At present, I advise you rest for the day to contemplate everything you have learned. Scorpion," the god turned to him. "I must speak with you in private."

Scorpion closed his eyes and, with a sharp inhale, the Hellfire evaporated from his arms. But the heat remained. He opened his eyes and exited the hospital. Outside, the sun was centered in the sky and blazed down on the village. Scorpion stepped to the side and remained under the shade the building's eave provided. Moments later, Raiden stepped outside of the infirmary's door.

"The girl's name is Raina," he said as he made his way towards Scorpion.

"I will not guard the brat for years!" Scorpion snarled.

The god sighed. "I had said it would take years to find the portal at the _most_, Scorpion. Whether time will go for that long, you _will_ continue to guard—

"Just because you are a god does not give you the right to control my choices!" Scorpion's arms burst into flame. His fist shot for the god's throat.

In a flash, Raiden disappeared. Predicting this, Scorpion whipped around to see the god glowing with electricity, arms crossed.

"Quan Chi is not your greatest concern as of now, Scorpion," Raiden said. "Your priority at this time is protecting the girl. If she dies, a rare soul as hers can start multiple conflicts of who will claim it. Wars across the realms could start. You may not care if these events happen, but if the soul is taken into the wrong hands, such as Quan Chi's—

"Then allow me to track him," Scorpion growled. "I will annihilate him—

"You do not have the ability to transport across the realms," Raiden said in exasperation. "I believe that is what he is doing to stay undetectable, and with my concentration on finding the portal, I cannot track the sorcerer. If I cannot find him, then you cannot find him. You are one with little concerns, so guarding a woman will not waste your time in finding Quan Chi."

The Shirai Ryu ground his teeth while the hellfire burned deep inside his bones. But he made no efforts to attack the god.

"I will warn you, Scorpion," Raiden continued. "Though I still cannot guarantee Quan Chi is the cause of all this havoc, you must watch the girl under all circumstances. If it is Quan Chi, he has the potential to persuade Shao Kahn into his biddings, meaning recruits could be tracking you two at this moment. Do not underestimate the danger her soul can hold. Do you have my word?"

So this was where everything stood. Scorpion would have to guard that damned woman until Raiden would find her portal, no matter what threats he hurled at the god. Quan Chi would be lurking in the shadows, hiding from him, sending warriors his way. So that was the sorcerer's way of revenge. Scorpion raised his fist to face and watched as gold flames burned into orange. Time was wasting no matter what. As Scorpion nodded once, the flames vanished. "You have my word, Thunder God."

Raiden stared long into his eyes and then nodded. "Once I am done speaking with the girl tomorrow, I will not have the time to check on you. I will be too preoccupied in tracking the portal, thus, if the girl is separated from you, you will be unable to seek my help."

Before Scorpion could reply, Raiden was gone with a bolt of lightning.

* * *

At first, Raina thought everything had been a nightmare. But she awoke to the same vivid white eyes. Memories of yesterday were a blow in the face. How she was in a place called "Earthrealm", the man with the hat, the gold ninja who could hold fire being her guardian…

She couldn't stifle her gasp in time and Raina watched as the man's eyes narrowed into a glare. Lucky for her, their stare-down didn't last long since the nurses came bustling into the room. As they separated the covers from her body, Raina remembered she was only wearing a transparent hospital-like gown. She started to protest and looked for the ninja man, only to just catch the exit door closing.

Half an hour later, after getting out of bed for the first time in a week – a week! – and being escorted to a bathing house, Raina was walking back inside the infirmly, tugging at her new garments: a plain white tunic and black leggings. Though the nurses had said they had been washed, the attire smelled musty. The straw sandals they had also given her were cutting into her soles, but they were better than no shoes considering how sore her feet were.

In fact, her whole body was sore. Raina had noticed this while bathing; but she realized she should've been feeling more than sores if that man – Ray-den – hadn't miraculously healed her. Her head spun at just thinking about everything that had happened to her in the past week.

Her bodyguard – Scorpion was his name? – was back inside, talking in a low voice with Raiden when Raina opened the hospital entrance door. She automatically looked to the ninja's hands, and to her relief saw they looked a normal, non-fire-coated.

"You look well." Raina looked up and saw Raiden advancing towards her. "From the outside, I could not tell a difference between you and an Earthrealm villager."

Raina forced a smile. "Thank-you. And I never got a chance to thank you about yesterday as well. For healing me," she said when Raiden gave her a puzzled look. "But...why did you do it? I'm in a hospital so I was going to heal anyways."

Raina then felt a pair of eyes scowling at her. She risked a glance and saw her bodyguard's masked face was the source. He looked away before she could, but she couldn't help but notice how his fists clenched. Fear then flooded through her. Had she said something rude?

"That is a good question," Raiden said. When Raina looked back, his eyes - which had no pupils, she'd noticed - were serious. "I had healed you to prove to you that you are no longer in your dimension. But you notice though your injuries are gone, you remain sore? I had purposely done that to remind you of what you could face later on. Expect many strange things in Earthrealm, Raina. As long as you do not bother anyone here, they will not bother you."

By those words, Raina had a feeling Raiden was referring to people like Scorpion rather than the local villagers. The memory of his flaming hands flashed in her mind again. "Yes, I will."

Raiden seemed to sense her unease. "You can trust Scorpion with your life, as he is a reliable warrior. Stay by his side whenever you can," he said.

This time, Raina refrained from looking at Scorpion. She would probably be glared at again.

"Do you have any other questions?" Raiden asked.

She had tons of questions, yet Raina shook her head. A split second after, a bolt of lightning struck inside the room. Raina jumped a foot in the air and screamed. When the blinding light cleared, she saw Raiden holding a sack that had certainly not been in the room before. She opened her mouth to ask how he had done it, but then she remembered he was a "Thunder God" as he had put it.

Raiden held the bag out to her. "Use it wisely."

She peeked up at Raiden, who waited. She reached for the sack and almost dropped it from its unexpected weight. Raina had to use two hands to hold it and had to set it on a nearby bed so she could pull the drawstring. What she saw inside made her jaw drop. Dozens upon dozens of gold, silver and bronze coins gleamed up at her. She almost reached down to touch one, but instead looked up at Raiden.

"I…I can't take this. It's so much money and when will I ever—

She stopped short as reality struck her. She wasn't on Earth anymore. Hell, Raina still didn't know where exactly she was. She didn't even have a place to live. Who knew how long she would be stuck here? Who knew how many bags of money Raiden would have to give her? She inhaled a long breath and whispered, "Thank-you."

Raiden stared at her for a moment, but Raina didn't care. She would rather be stared at by Raiden then glared at by Scorpion. Raina then realized she wanted Raiden to be her bodyguard instead.

"May the Elder Gods watch over you both."

All she could do was watch in astonishment as another lightning bolt thundered the room, this time taking Raiden with.

Once it was silent again, Raina pulled the drawstring tight and heaved the sack off the bed. Just as she did, Raina saw the door closing as Scorpion had left without her. She hurried out of the building and ran around the crowded street – though her muscles protested - until she saw his gold-clad uniform. She was huffing by the time she caught up to him.

He turned around so fast Raina almost ran into him. It was even worse being glared by Scorpion up close, considering how he towered over her. Raina couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes, so she settled for his mask.

He snatched the bag from her hands. "Stay here."

Compared to yesterday, his voice was much calmer, yet more aggravated. Though she was standing in the middle of a crowded street, Raina obeyed and watched as he stalked off. She realized she'd been holding her breath the whole time and exhaled.

For several minutes, Raina waited in the baking heat. Though the village looked nothing like the city, it was just as busy. Her ears buzzed from all the hubbub and in a minute she was sweating. Other than dodging the hectic passer-bys, Raina didn't move. A few people would stop and stare at her for a moment and then continue on, making Raina wonder if she put her tunic on right.

After what she guessed was fifteen minutes, Scorpion hadn't returned. Raina looked around the street, but no masked faces were seen. Had something happened? Where had he even gone? Or had her bodyguard taken her money and abandoned her?

A basket was thrust into her hands. Raina registered medical supplies, a jug of water, a loaf of bread and some fruit and vegetables before she looked up at Scorpion. She glanced at the sack of coins that had also been placed in the basket (though it looked no smaller than before) and back at him.

"I… Thank-you." But Raina must've said something wrong, for another death glare was smoldered on her.

And then he was walking away.

Raina stared after him, flabbergasted. She weaved around the people until she was walking by Scorpion's side, though she felt no safety in that. His strides were long and quick; whether he walked like that on a daily basis or not, Raina tired in a matter of minutes. It was only when the heat no longer felt hazy and the smells of the market were distant, Raina noticed they were no longer in the village.

She looked over her shoulder and saw the street growing tinier. When she looked back, they were trudging up a steep hill. Perhaps there was another village over it? But when they reached the top, Raina saw the path leading into a dense forest. She stopped short, somewhat out of breath, while Scorpion continued walking.

"W-wait," she panted.

For a second, she thought he ignored her, but then he turned on his heel to face her. His eyebrows furrowed in impatience.

"Why are we going into the forest? Do you…have a house there?" Though Raina had a bad feeling the latter question would be answered with a no.

A crease formed between his eyes before he turned back around. "The less people around me, the better," he growled.

The reply made Raina understand two things about Scorpion: one, his tone alone said he didn't like stupid questions, or ones he considered stupid; and two, Scorpion wasn't a people person. Raina looked back at the village, then Scorpion, who was now entering through the tree line.

"_You can trust Scorpion with your life, as he is a reliable warrior."_ Raiden's words rung in her mind.

Raina hesitated. She still didn't know _who_ Scorpion was. And he seemed to hate her, so traveling alone with him wasn't a calming thought. But…she barely knew Raiden, yet she trusted him. If Raiden could trust Scorpion, then it must've meant something.

Gripping the basket's handles, Raina took a deep breath and followed Scorpion into the forest.


	6. Net

**Chapter Six: Net**

The dead guard collapsed to the ground, and before his comrade could reach for his sword, his arm was twisted behind his back. The other having been dislocated lay limp at his side.

As the remaining guard struggled against the ninja holding him, the second ninja stepped forward. "Give me my information."

"I—know—_nothing_!" the guard hissed. This caused the ninja holding his arm to yank fiercely, forcing his back to straighten. The second ninja lashed a kick to the guard's stomach. Bile rose in his throat and spluttered out of his mouth.

"You shall die a slow and painful death unless you tell me where they are."

The man coughed and wheezed as blood dripped from his lips. "Th-there were never any travelers that passed through these gates—by your descriptions."

"Lies," the figure said.

The guard felt his arm being wrenched out of its socket. He yelled out in pain before a kick met his face. His head snapped to the side, drool and blood dangling from his mouth.

"Tell me where you are hiding them."

"I—s-swear by the Gods—they are not—here," the guard gurgled. "I would have been—informed th-that new inhabitants were in—the village. There was—n-no word of a woman or a gold clad ninja. We've not had—v-visitors in weeks."

The guard doubled over and gulped down oxygen. The ninja stared down at him before plunging his fist into the guard's stomach. The guard's scream was drowned out from the waterfall of blood pouring from his mouth.

Pulling his arm from the worthless man's stomach, Noob Saibot shook the blood from his hand while his shadow tossed the corpse aside. Perhaps not the cleanest kill, though it diluted his impatience. His shadow form melted into the murky ground, gone in the darkness.

Saibot glanced over at the dead guards and to the gate they had been patrolling. Behind the bars lay the silent village. He had no intensions of breaking in; he'd already infiltrated the village hours ago, only coming to question the guards as the last resort. Noob turned and glared into the mass of trees that lead him to the village. The fifth village this week, and none held the girl. But Shao Kahn, after sending him into the Neatherrealm that is, had sensed the brat's soul in Earthrealm. She was somewhere in the region.

'_Where is that damned girl…'_

* * *

Night had fallen. Scorpion walked on, observing the land moonlight drenched. He'd come to conclusion that he was somewhere in one of China's mountain ranges, though he wasn't as familiar with China's land as much as he was Japan's.

Quan Chi was somewhere in these mountains. Scorpion could nearly sense him, and he would learn every inch of the landscape if he had to track the sorcerer down. Raiden had never forbid Scorpion to leave the village, and the spectre worked best with the least amount of people around him either way.

Suddenly, Scorpion's ears cocked. He slowed his pace ever so slightly and blocked out the forest noise. Footsteps – the female's footsteps – he could no longer hear them. Even though her footsteps had been growing fainter for the last hour, as long as Scorpion could still detect them, he'd continued walking. In the half-second he sensed this, a _thud_ sounded from behind.

Whipping around, Scorpion registered the girl collapsed – but breathing – on the ground before he surveyed the area. He slowly reached for one of his twin swords while his eyes roamed over the canopy. After a minute, Scorpion had detected no suspicious noise or movement. He made his way over to the woman and knelt by her side. With one hand, he gripped the hilt of his sword while the other checked the female's pulse.

Scorpion narrowed his eyes. She'd collapsed from fatigue. He then noticed the basket's contents had spilled out – excluding the sack of coins – around the girl and he began to swiftly place them back inside. They had been walking for approximately twelve hours – without stopping to rest – and Scorpion assumed Raiden's healing had done nothing to increase the woman's stamina. She most likely hadn't consumed any form of food for a day so her exhaustion was predictable, now that he thought of it.

Sheathing his sword, Scorpion picked the woman up in his arms with a grunt of annoyance, and set the basket on her stomach. Minutes later, he found a suitable clearing and carefully strayed off the path. Setting the female and basket on the ground, Scorpion broke off a few branches from a tree and set up camp. After a fire was blazing, he sat across from the resting girl and stared into the roaring flames.

They only would rest for a few hours. Humans only needed around seven hours of sleep, though that was too long for Scorpion's likings. Scorpion thinly exhaled. He would have to adjust after years of solitude in the Neatherrealm, and now being forced to have a human companion with him to guard, to feed, to rest…

Regardless if he didn't care for the brat, Scorpion could not ignore her human needs and limits. If the girl died this early in his "task", the Elder Gods only know what Raiden would do to him.

* * *

As soon as the sun had risen high enough, Scorpion nudged the girl – Raina, Raiden had called her – awake with the toe of his boot.

"Eat." He pointed to the meal he'd prepared on the basket. Scorpion did not like being the brat's personal cook, but he would ration her food in case she over or under ate. He would not have any trivial delays. He put out the fire and destroyed any evidence of the camp, finishing just as the girl informed him she was finished with her meal. He walked forward as she picked up the village basket, the rhythm of her footsteps shortly sounding from behind.

Every four hours or so, Scorpion made sure to stop and allow the woman a few minutes of rest, a drink of water, and sometimes the spare food from the basket to nibble on. He measured his pace to not be too fast or too slow, but enough to have the girl not too far behind him and not tire too quickly. The path continued to meander, the trees never thinning out, and the weather was in good condition.

It was during late midday when a slight _issue_ arose.

Scorpion turned when her footsteps had stopped once more. He furrowed his brow when he saw the woman was perfectly fine, but standing stiff on the path metres behind. By the anxious expression on her face, it crossed Scorpion's mind that she had somehow sensed an enemy, but then she spoke.

"I have…"

He saw the blood rise in her face, causing his frown to deepen.

She struggled to form words for a moment. "I need to…use…the restroom."

Scorpion found he almost had his head cocked in confusion, but he then noticed her body language – the shifting of weight on her feet, the eyes struggling to find a safe place to look – and rapidly understood. He blinked once, twice.

He pointed to a tree.

* * *

The same routine continued for the following days as well. They exchanged little to no words, which was fine by Scorpion's matters, and were making bearable progress through the region. The weather hadn't yet slowed them down and there were no signs of any trackers. On the fourth day of travel, the forks in the path were becoming more frequent, meaning there were villages around the area. Scorpion refrained from entering the man-made forks and stayed on the meandering trail.

Quan Chi remained present in his mind. Scorpion recalled the deal he had made with Raiden in the village: guard the female until her portal was found and the sorcerer would be his to destroy. As for any recruits, they would most likely be Quan Chi's idiotic demons from Neatherrealm. If the sorcerer had allied with Shao Kahn, the trackers would only be the Emperor's minor warriors—

Scorpion sprung back, hand automatically reaching for his swords when a spur of movement crossed his path. The speed of it breezed passed him. Forest animals would sometimes skitter across the trail, but the metallic glint off the sun showed that it was no animal. The same moment Scorpion froze did he make sense of what was swinging in front of him.

It was a net, large enough to trap a full-grown human. His movement had triggered it to almost ensnare him, and when peering at it Scorpion saw the metallic barb wires intricately weaved with the net's pattern. Sharp enough to draw blood. He opened his mouth to order the girl to stop, but her scream piercing through the air cut him off.

The tattered village basket dropped to the ground, its contents tumbling out. Fifteen feet in the air, the woman was dangling inside a similar net. Scorpion ordered her to stop moving and reached for his Spear. The net slowly swung back and forth as the sun glinted off the barb wires. He could faintly hear her whimpers, and in seconds droplets of her blood were dripping to the ground. The spectre raised his Spear and aimed for the knot of the net.

The Spear left his hand, the chain twisting and turning with it, and the kunai split through the knot. The net ripped open and the brat spilled out of it, falling to the ground. Reflexes caused Scorpion to move. He released her as soon as he had caught her. She stumbled out of his catch while Scorpion raised his hand and caught his returning Spear. Placing the weapon back in its spot, Scorpion searched the area for more traps, curtly motioning for the woman – Raina – to remain still.

After discovering and disposing of the remaining net – this time, a full metallic one – he turned to the girl and scrutinized her wounds. Her arms and legs had been cut, her clothes had been punctured in several spots, and there was a long cut on her forehead seeping out blood. Curses whip-lashed the Shirai Ryu's mind as Scorpion met eyes with the woman. He expected her to look away from his glare, but she continued to stare at him – an expression of pain crossing over her face – clutching her forearm where blood trickled through her fingers.

Scorpion realized this was the first time in days since he had allowed himself to look at the woman's face. Seeing the physical pain in her eyes, suddenly Scorpion did not see the woman in front of him as Raina, but as the deceased young woman he had loved in his human life. Her eyes had held the same shadow of pain at one time-

He blinked – keeping his eyes closed longer than necessary – and a low growl escaped him. They had only locked eyes for a _second_ and he was having foolish trains of thoughts. Thoughts he should be able to control.

Her eyes were no longer looking at him to Scorpion's satisfaction, and he looked over to the basket and its crushed food scattered around it. Scorpion's mask most likely hid most of the irritation on his face. Even though the brat's food was destroyed and her water had somehow drained from its jug during the fall, the forest provided fresh streams and plentiful amounts of meat scurrying around. It would be more work for him to hunt, and as for her wounds…

"I saw medical supplies in the basket," the woman suddenly whispered.

Scorpion merely glanced at her. "They are useless."

Another stream of curses surfaced in the spectre's mind. He had bought minor medical supplies from the village, and though he could treat her wounds with them, after a day or so the infection would still spread. She would need correct treatment, which clearly meant...

"Can you walk?" he finally said. She nodded, went to recover the sack of coins, and asked if he still needed the basket. Scorpion ignored her, turned, and proceeded walking on the path. He could only look at the woman for so long until the memories surfaced.

The next fork in the path arrived after two or so hours of travel. Scorpion chose the fork on the far right. In another hour – as the sun was beginning to set – the trees started to clear out, and Scorpion soon spotted the high black gates as they descended down a hill. The pair of guards quickly came into view, along with the village peeking behind the gate.

The guards crossed their bladed staffs over the gate entrance when they neared. Scorpion watched as the guards looked him up and down. The one on the right began speaking in Chinese.

"I am not native of your language," Scorpion interrupted.

"What are your purposes for arriving to the Dao Village?" the second guard asked in English.

The Dao Village? Scorpion had knowledge of some of China's villages, but this "Dao Village" was foreign to him. Raiden had certainly teleported him somewhere new…

Scorpion gestured to the brat. "The woman is injured. Her wounds need attending."

The guards glanced at the girl before looking back to Scorpion. "And how did the woman receive those wounds?" the one on the right said.

The spectre fought to keep his patience, though his tone was low with malice. "She was injured in the forest. Perhaps one of your villagers is responsible for setting up net traps—

"Do not accuse our people!" he said.

The second guard raised a hand and spoke in Chinese to the guard. He then looked to Scorpion. "It is not often we receive a masked ninja asking to enter our Village. For the past week, there have been suspicious disappearances across the region. The most recent were two gate guards in the Tang Village up north; their bodies remain undiscovered. There have been four other reports of one to two missing guards, the bodies undiscovered as well. What does a masked man as yourself make of this?"

Scorpion took a dangerous step towards them. "Are you accusing me of the disappearances?"

Though both guards were inches smaller than Scorpion, neither batted an eye. "None of our villagers have left Dao Village in over a week, ensuring that our Village is not the cause of the disappearances," the second guard said. "You are not a native of our Village, you are armed with weapons, and we prefer to see the identity of one's face to allow them to pass through these gates."

Scorpion stared at the man while he slowly registered his words. "You want—

"It does not appear trustworthy to walk around with a masked face when there is a murderer in the mountains," the first guard said.

"It is not confirmed the disappearances are murders," the second guard said. "But nevertheless, I see the woman is growing faint. We will allow you to pass if you remove your mask."

* * *

**A/N: I'm alive! And i****t might've become…odd in the end, I know. I'll answer that yes, the disappearances are murders. If you remember the first scene in the beginning of this chapter, you may have put together that Noob is the one killing the guards. He's killing them because one, they're rendered useless after giving him vital or non-vital information, and two, I believe since Saibot is former Lin Kuei he would not want any word to get out about his 'assignment'. So he kills to keep everything silent and hides/disposes of the bodies. I doubt he'd worry about the aftermath of his killings since he's going by any means to complete Kahn's task of finding Raina, and no one knows it's him murdering. **

**If you have any questions concerning this story feel free to ask. I'll try my best to answer them. Also, I know Saibot's shadow powers are more of an MK 9 aspect, but that whole "2 timelines" thing… **

**And I ****seriously thank everyone who has continued to read this story and being patient with my _slow_ updates. I am honestly shocked people like this... _Thank-you _to those who are or have been reviewing. And even those who aren't reviewing and just reading, I still love you guys, haha. **

**PS: I'm not an expert on net traps and the likes, so shhh pretty please! And I made up the village names xD**


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